Dear Comrade Leader, Episode 327
Junghwan’s apology was never a formal or camera-conscious performance.
As it shows, he bowed in front of the camera for a short period of time, and only after the reporters took enough pictures of that moment, he got his bent back back.
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Naturally, as if waiting, questions poured from the reporters’ mouths.“Then, as I said, I will take only a few questions from now on. Yes, the Korea Ilbo reporter Kim?”
“General Secretary Kim! General Secretary Kim! Just like this… … Did you have any prior communication with the Korean Blue House? Recently, opposition parties have been demanding explanations from the president for the fact that the former president of South Korea dispatched special warfare units to the Yanbian Civil War without the consent of the National Assembly. Are there?”
“Not at all. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, and I would appreciate it if you could consider that today’s expression of apology represents the consensus of the entire Workers’ Party of Korea, including me. That CNN reporter there?”
“General Secretary Kim! According to a senior U.S. State Department informant who recently requested anonymity, it was revealed that a close family member of the General Secretary and, according to one theory, a woman who was believed to be the biological child, fled from Singapore to the United States. Is there any chance that the woman will enter the next leadership of North Korea?”
“I am not going to answer that question as it is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the purpose of today’s interview. Reporter Park of the Onkyoree newspaper?”
“You just did a symbolic act that marked a huge milestone in the history of inter-Korean exchanges in the past 70 years! The fact that the general secretary, who temporarily took a Tongmi-bongnam stance immediately after taking office, showed such a forward-looking attitude… … that… … Can you think of it as a pre-work for ‘that’, at least some kind of signal to the South Korean government?”
The reporter on the Korean Peninsula hesitated, unable to put the words in his mouth, thinking that he was still drinking kimchi soup to bring up that word, which was the biggest rice cake on the Korean Peninsula since the establishment of the respective national systems of the two Koreas.
However, Jung-hwan, the person who was asked the question, answered with a gentle smile.
“I do not know. I can only say that it is still too early to give specific details about what will happen in the future inter-Korean relations. However… … .”
“However… … ?”
“I personally believe in the former president, and I can say this. Today’s press conference ends here. then… … .”
“yes? what the hell… … General Secretary! General Secretary! Wait! One more question… … !!”
The reporters called him on the back of Jeonghwan, who was so far away that even his deceased parents could not call him so sadly, but Junghwan turned around and left the press room.
Of course, right after that time, all breaking news, real-time internet search terms, evening news, and even the evening news a few weeks later were covered with keywords such as ‘Kim Jeong-hwan’s apology’, ‘North Korean apology’, and ‘six o’clock apples’.
Even more strangely, the North Korean media such as the Rodong Sinmun and the Chosun Central Broadcasting did not actively report it, but they did not censor information such as the video of the apology of the General Secretary or the article acknowledging the invasion of the Korean War from the South Korean side of the Internet.
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No matter how freed it was from the previous Kim Jong-il era, it seemed that the propaganda and agitation department and the central censorship committee, which were the first to put away such news and search for and punish those who spread it, suddenly sabotaged it.And, of course, even in Korea, internet netizens, main editors, and commentators in the mainstream media, etc., did not know how to talk about this post-apocalyptic incident.
* * *
“Yes, hello. A public forum open to all, the beginning and the end of discussion! KTBC current affairs Q&A, we will deliver various opinions and knowledge to viewers along with panelists from various fields on domestic and international current affairs and social issues today.”
“Today’s topic is, as you may have guessed, a short time ago, North Korea’s Kim Jeong-hwan, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, acknowledged and apologized for the invasion of South Korea related to the Korean War. As always, we have invited Dr. Moon Seong-hwan, who will provide expert insight on this matter, as well as a panelist, a North Korean studies expert, and author of several books related to General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan. hello. Dr. Moon.”
“hello.”
A studio of a comprehensive programming channel broadcasting company located in Seoul.
When the panel brought in roughly finished greetings, the moderator quickly proceeded with the question and answer as if a poem was urgent.
In fact, considering the topic of today’s discussion and its ramifications, if the organizing time was short, it would be short, but it could never be long.
“Yes, then, first of all, the current state… … So, I think the evaluation of General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan’s historic apology interview should proceed. Dr. Moon. What is the intention of General Secretary Kim’s apology interview?”
“Well, to be honest, I was very surprised watching the broadcast in real time… … In other words, it may be difficult to put it together, but if you try your best, it seems to be possible to organize it like this. “It’s something that only General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan can do only now.”
“Isn’t it something only General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan can do now?”
“yes. Moderator, do you know what the second most difficult thing for politicians to say is what they hate to say ‘secondly’, regardless of North and South Korea, democracy, authoritarianism, East and West?”
In response to Moon Seong-hwan’s outrageous first question, a ‘?’ A question mark came to mind.
It’s not the first thing you hate to say, but the second thing you hate to say?
“I do not know… … ? If it’s not the first word you hate, but the second word you hate… … .”
“It is not very difficult. The correct answer is ‘I was wrong’. That is, self-acknowledgment.”
“… … !!?! I still get it… … If that’s the second… … What is the first one?”
“Actually, that is the crux of this question. That’s ‘we did it wrong’. Do you know what the difference is?”
“… … ah!”
As the host seemed to have finally realized something, Moon Seong-hwan meaningfully nodded his head and continued his explanation.
“That’s right. ‘I was wrong’ and ‘we were wrong’… … . The first is to admit fault as an individual, and the second is to admit fault as a representative of the group. And this time, General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan’s apology interview is of course the latter.”
“Not as an individual, but as a leader of North Korea, that is, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he acknowledged the faults of the invasion of South Korea and the Korean War.”
“That’s right. ‘I was wrong’ also poses a great political risk, but ‘we were wrong’ is incomparably greater. This is especially true in relations between countries. It doesn’t end with one’s own responsibility, it’s because he gives excuses to the other country over and over again.”
“Isn’t it similar to the context in which Japanese Prime Ministers and politicians express their views on the issue of the past with South Korea, whether it is an apology or remarks, at the level of the Japanese government?”
“yes. Not only the elected office, but also the undisputed dictator Kim Jeong-hwan, the general secretary, is a great adventure if the approval ratings are not as high as it is now. It’s something you have to risk almost your own political life. Especially in authoritarian countries like North Korea, this tendency is more severe… … huh really… … .”
“But the most important thing is… … Why the hell did General Secretary Kim do this performance with what purpose? Can you give me your opinion on this point? Dr. Moon?”
“Hmm, actually, from here on, it’s half my guess… … In my opinion, what happened between East and West Germany in the past… … It remains to be seen whether General Secretary Kim has the work in mind, but at least one thing can be confirmed. General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan is currently preparing to retire.”
“Are you retiring?”
The moderator, who had been relatively calm at Moon Seong-hwan’s assertion, forgot to ask what ‘that work’ was, and was really startled and surprised.
Until now, since taking office as general secretary along with the 1988 Seoul Olympics, to the Korean people, North Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were Kim Jung-hwan.
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North Korea was Kim Jung-hwan, and Kim Jung-hwan was North Korea, but that Kim Jung-hwan resigned all of a sudden.“Yeah, I’m sure most of you, as well as all other experts, would think so. social worker. As I just said, acknowledgment as the head of a group carries a far greater political risk than that as an individual. Willy Brandt, whom I mentioned earlier, also received a lot of criticism from right-wing groups in his country right after he got down on his knees. From that point of view, General Secretary Kim’s apology interview can be thought of like this.”
“How do you say… … .”
“It removes the political obstacles for the successor who will come after him. In a word, he will come down with it all on his back. Just like President Park Yi-sam did at the time of our historic inter-Korean compromise in the past.”
“ah! You’ll find out soon. From our point of view, Yuuko is a clear invasion of South Korea and war of aggression, but from the North’s point of view, publicly acknowledging that fact is acknowledging that it was an aggressor country, so it means that the political burden is very high regardless of whoever does it in the future.”
Like a student who understands heat when teaching Hana, when the host greeted them with heat on their faces, Moon Seong-hwan brightened his eyes and spurred his commentary.
“If you ask all of the current expatriates in Pyongyang, Kim Jung-hwan’s approval rating in North Korea, no, the degree of worship is undeniably the highest in history. It can be said that North Korea, which actually participated in the North Manchurian War, won a refreshing victory over China, and expanded its territory in the 21st century, effectively exceeding the authority of its father, Kim Il-sung. In a nutshell, North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea are no longer the ‘President Kim Il-sung’s party’ but the ‘party of General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan’.”
“Yes. Of course, it has been fully supported by the people up to now, but beyond that, there are even observations that it is possible to hold office for life.”
“In other words, the next general secretary and the supreme leader of North Korea may still be, but isn’t it obvious that his authority will be lower than that of Kim Jung-hwan? I don’t know who the next payoff is, but to hold an apology interview like this one is a huge political gamble regardless of my thoughts, but the North Korean leader, who has the most support from the people, has done it in advance.”
“It must be a difficult interview to hold unless it is right after the victory. Then, Dr. Moon. The most important thing here… … Who is Kim’s successor? Could it be that the mysterious woman who was in exile in Singapore, which was raised at this interview, was… … .”
“No, that would be unlikely.”
“yes? no why… … .”
Finally, just before changing the topic to the long-awaited ‘hot topic’, Moon Seong-hwan cut the conversation off so quickly and decidedly, the moderator asked again with a sad but bewildered expression.
Originally, the issue of the heir of a monarch was a forbidden fruit that would blow your throat if you mention it wrongly, and at the same time, it was a common gossip between East and West, where the rumors continued despite knowing it.
Even though some knowledgeable experts point out that the fourth generation actually means the permanent fixation of the division, it has the same position as the current general secretary Kim Jeong-hwan and the support of the people. Don’t you even believe in them implicitly?
Right now, the South Korean chaebols do not want to hand over their money and power to someone else, so they eat all kinds of swearing, but it was a natural stream of thought that Kim Jung-hwan would do the same when the second and third generations of the chaebol appeared. .
And Seonghwan Moon gave a simple answer to these questions from the host, audience, and viewers.
“It’s simple if you think about it as an extension of what I just explained. Did he not turn his father, Kim Il-sung, into an aggressor and traitor to the nation? It was also through Kim Jung-hwan’s own mouth.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“In the meantime, the signs that General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan did not like the inheritance of the fourth generation, that is, the succession of power by blood, have been constantly raised among professional researchers like me. Even after his position has been sufficiently solidified, instead of educating his children as an appropriate successor, as his father Kim Il-sung did, it is still not clear whether his children exist, even whether they are married or not.”
“Yes. In fact, there are parts that amplify the sense of mystery and stimulate people’s interest even more… … .”
“Of course, since General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan himself appeared suddenly while he was succeeding power to Kim Jong-il, the possibility that a son he had hidden somewhere in his later years would appear in the succession structure has been constantly raised, but despite this, it is possible that his face has not been shown in North Korea. There have been only a few opinions so far. But this apology conference has given me confidence in that minority opinion.”
“Wow, what minority opinion are you talking about?”
“Whoever that woman is, the daughter of General Secretary Kim Jong-hwan, or whoever she is, the next supreme leader of North Korea will be someone who is not related by blood to Kim Jong-hwan.”
“… … !!!!”
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Now, the moderator forgot to flirt and swallowed only saliva and looked into Moon Seong-hwan’s mouth.In fact, not only that, but the other audience as well as the producers were in a situation where they were just listening to Moon Seong-hwan’s explanation.
“Comrade Kim Il-sung, the founder of our party, is not a hero, but an aggressor who attacked our fellow countrymen. What this means is that General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan threw away his blood-related legitimacy with this interview. The foundation of this family’s rule over North Korea, starting with the third generation of the Kim clan, Kim Il-sung, is largely due to the disguised history of the Korean War, from the anti-Japanese independence struggle to the war for liberation from South Korea, has that not changed completely? ?”
“That would be it… … . He admitted that the Korean War was an invasion of the South and a war of aggression.”
“It is something that only Kim Jung-hwan can do only now, and at the same time, 99% of people in Kim’s position will never do it. To be honest, from my point of view, who has studied North Korea and its regime so far, I feel like I ate a hard blow at a person named Kim Jung-hwan, whom I had never seen in person. No, would it be more appropriate to say that I was admired?”
“… … Ta, is it a tantrum?”
The host asked with a grim face, ‘Isn’t it too much praise for the dictator of a potential enemy country anyway?’
Even if he was in Kim Jung-hwan’s position, it was an expression that he did not have the confidence to do.
“Based on the achievements he has accumulated throughout his life, the throne of the kingdom that he can pass down to his beloved son or daughter, and the opportunity to inherit the dictatorial power and wealth derived from it, and above all, it is his responsibility to be safe from any political retaliation that may arise in the future. Retirement! Isn’t it the same as throwing away all these opportunities into your own hands? What politician in the world, no, what kind of person could make such a decision? Do you think it would be possible if the moderator was Kim Jung-hwan?”
“To be honest… … It must be difficult… … .”
“Over the past 30 years, General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan has developed North Korea from a third world country that just gained independence from the communist bloc to a medium-scale power recognized around the world with his own hands. We won the war in North Manchuria not too long ago, so we might rise to the ranks of a new power in the future. If it were a leader, no, a human being, it would be impossible not to feel proud and possessive of the things that he devoted his whole life to accomplishing, unless he was truly a living Buddha in Buddhism or an iron man in Plato’s Theory of the State… … .”
At that time, when he saw the PD, who woke up outside the camera, beckoned that the time was running out, the host was startled and lowered his voice to Moon Seong-hwan and whispered softly.
“uh… … Doctor? Now you have to make a final comment… … .”
“Well… … To be honest, inter-Korean relations have always been like this, but I don’t know when or how this apology conference will turn around. In the meantime, General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan has not only done things that are friendly to Korea, but rather has been thoroughly political. But if… … Really if… … . So this interview… … If it is evidence that General Secretary Kim Jung-hwan has made a decision about ‘the matter’ between the two Koreas… … Even if not… … .”
“Even if not… … ?”
Sunghwan Moon thought for a moment.
Would it be better to say this controversial word?
Maybe even later, from a far-right group, in the middle of this sacred Korean public broadcaster, what kind of bullshit or death threats will come?
If I had spoken this word 30 years ago in the middle of Seoul, I would have been taken to the Grand Public Office in Namyeong-dong.
Even if it was done 15 years ago when the Yu Min-jung government came into power, you would have heard the ridicule of NL that the times never changed.
And if I had mentioned this word in a public place just a few months ago, before the apology interview, I would have been ridiculed and ridiculed by most people, ‘Are you ready to move to Pyongyang?’
However, Moon Seong-hwan, who was so worried, finally decided to tell the first honest impression he had in his head about a person named Kim Jung-hwan as soon as he heard and understood the contents of the apology interview a while ago.
In fact, at the last moment of trouble, it was a feeling of rebellion or resistance that made Moon Seong-hwan’s decision to go as it should be.
-I don’t know, in this 21st century liberal democracy in Korea, can’t you say what you want to say freely?
“… … If not, at least this interview will unravel the core of the hearts of the bereaved families of the Korean War and the victims of all of its history, and fill the biggest, 70-year-long furrow still remaining between the two Koreas even in this era. I have to rate it as Yeongdan (英斷). At least from the point of view of ordinary Koreans who have suffered constantly throughout history, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I agree with that.”
“… … And as one of those Koreans, the moderator. I will use this final commentary to honor Kim Jeong-hwan, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, in the middle of Seoul, like this, even for just one day today. It’s called ‘Our dear leader’s comrade’. Of course, not because of coercion or coercion by anyone, but purely of my own free will. It’s ironic, isn’t it?”